JOSHUA REES FROM LLANSAMLET CAUGHT IN SHOCKING ONLINE SEX OFFENSES IN SWANSEA

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the local community, Joshua Rees, a darts player from Llansamlet, was found to have engaged in inappropriate and illegal online communications with what he believed was a 13-year-old girl. The incident unfolded in Swansea, where Rees was confronted by paedophile hunters at the pub where he regularly plays darts, revealing the disturbing extent of his actions.

According to court reports, the events took place in August 2019, when the 19-year-old Rees began messaging a Facebook profile that he thought belonged to a young girl. Unbeknownst to him, the profile was a decoy operated by a group called Our Team, designed to catch individuals attempting to engage in sexual conversations with minors. The decoy's profile indicated that she was a 13-year-old girl, and she had posted about feeling sad due to her grandmother's recent death.

Rees initially expressed concern for her well-being, but his messages quickly turned inappropriate and sexual in nature. Prosecutor Dyfed Thomas explained that Rees began asking the girl about her sexual experiences and, over the course of a month, engaged in highly sexualized exchanges. He sent explicit images of his genitals and attempted to persuade her to send videos of herself performing sexual acts. Rees also discussed having sex with her and urged her not to tell her parents about their conversations.

As the communication progressed, the decoy group arranged to intercept Rees, knowing from the conversation that he played darts at the Halfway Inn in Winch Wen, Swansea. On September 23, members of the group went to the pub to confront him. During the confrontation, Rees initially claimed that his Facebook account had been hacked by a former partner, a story he maintained when police arrived and arrested him.

Rees, who resides in Tegfan, Llansamlet, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to communicate sexually with a child and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity. Notably, he has no prior criminal convictions. His defense lawyer, James McKenna, highlighted that Rees had lost his good character due to his actions. McKenna explained that at the time of the offending, Rees was living alone following the death of his grandfather, had begun drinking alcohol, and was experiencing a decline in his mental health.

He also noted that Rees had been held on remand at Parc prison after his arrest because there was no suitable bail address available. The time spent in custody, he argued, had been an eye-opening experience for Rees. The lawyer urged the court to consider the recommendations of a pre-sentence report, which suggested that there was a realistic prospect for rehabilitation.

Judge Christopher Vosper QC acknowledged Rees's age, guilty pleas, and lack of previous convictions, stating that any custodial sentence would likely be short. He pointed out that Rees had already served seven weeks in custody, equivalent to a 14-week sentence, and that a prison term would result in his release shortly thereafter, with little future supervision.

Ultimately, the judge sentenced Rees to a two-year community order. He was ordered to complete a Horizon sex offenders program and a rehabilitation course. Additionally, Rees was placed under a sexual harm prevention order and will be registered as a sex offender for the next five years. The judge warned that failure to comply fully with the Probation Service over the next two years could lead to breach proceedings and re-sentencing, emphasizing the importance of ongoing supervision and rehabilitation efforts.